Nancy Ann Gates

Our mom was such a ray of light to everyone that knew her or even just met her. For us, to love you meant for you to meet and know our mom. She welcomed everyone with a smile and an interest in getting to know them.

She was our ace. We were sure to look good when you met our mom, she was proof that someone could really be that nice. The love and closeness we shared with her intertwined our lives on every level. She endured all the highest and lowest parts of our lives with us. She never failed to bring support, grace, love, and excitement that would rival our own as well as God into all our moments. She was big on the little things. She saw the priceless value in small gestures, simple kind words and in just doing the right thing, materialistic she was not.

People meeting her for the first time would instantly feel welcomed to share difficult things they were navigating in their own lives. She provided a safe understanding and non judgemental sounding board, people left meeting our mom feeling better about themselves and life in general.

Her face would light up the most sharing memories of our childhood or how we grew to be the adults we were as children. Our adult friends were sure to have endured unsolicited stories of when we were children. To say we were unprecedently loved by our mother is an understatement. She was always thinking of others and what she had that someone else may like. Her gifts and thoughts may have varied in monetary value, but everything she may have given you was from a priceless place in her heart.

She stayed progressive on her views of humanity and never shied away from discussions on unadopted progress in understanding each other's valued human rights.

She did not find pleasure in discussing other people's lives negativity. She would combat negative things said about another person with reminders of their good qualities and even if they were no longer in our lives, at one time they were valuable and loved people in our lives.

She loved children, snorkeling, games and most of all parties.

She was a lab technician by trade, spent many years teaching kindergarten Sunday school, and on the executive branch of mothers that stayed home with their children. Her resume would not equate to wordily riches but rather the value of being remembered as she will be.

Without children of our own, we are able to understand the hopeless devoted love a mother has for her children. That deep love, support and understanding was bestowed on us our entire lives.

As we have endured the past 2 weeks with the realization of the finality of our mom's time on earth, we have been greeted with the same feelings from everyone that knew her. She was kind, sweet, always happy, smiling and laughing and being reminded with all of your kind words and photos that there will only be one way she will be remembered and that is with a love, caring and grace. We love all your stories and pictures and will continue to welcome them all as the pages in our lives continue to turn without our mom here on earth with us. We love you and thank you all for the support you've given.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou

We hope you never forget how our mom made you feel, because that is truly the person you are.

In lieu of flowers, donations will go to Troy and Tacy's frivolous spending, anything left over will go to Shriners, as the little boy with the big genuine smile on their campaign add gave her great pleasure in her final days. The magic of marketing.